DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER Date : 03/30/2004 Duedate: 04/12/2004 BONSUR ARENA DM-7 TURN-494 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS POSITION IS EMPTY Chartered Recognition LeaderUnchartered Recognition Leader POSITION IS EMPTY POSITION IS EMPTY Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite TALLAHASSE TINA DEEDS BEACH BABES (309) RANCID BLOKES (503) (7-4889) [13-42-0,81] (7-5177) [7-26-1,58] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM FLOWER CHILDREN (26) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. FLOWER CHILDREN (26) 35 2. WASTELAND II (267) 19 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) 3. THE BEARS II (510) 9 Unchartered Team 4. SUGAR AND SPICE (501) 4 5. MORGAN'S BOYS (308) 1 GEMSTONE HAMMER (489) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1- 1 FLAGG'S CHAMPIONS (472) 11 3 0 78.6 1/ 1 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) 12 3 0 2/ 3 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) 229 147 11 60.9 2/ 3 WASTELAND II (267) 6 3 0 3/ 4 WASTELAND II (267) 713 568 29 55.7 3/ 7 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) 6 6 0 4/ 5 BATHTUB ARMADA (515) 211 185 18 53.3 4- 2 NINJAS (35) 5 4 0 5/ 6 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) 99 95 5 51.0 5/ 6 THE BEARS II (510) 4 7 0 6- 7 NINJAS (35) 162 195 8 45.4 6/ 4 BEACH BABES (309) 4 8 0 7/ 8 THE BEARS II (510) 32 44 5 42.1 7/ 5 BATHTUB ARMADA (515) 3 7 0 8/ 9 BEACH BABES (309) 466 692 16 40.2 8- 8 FLAGG'S CHAMPIONS (472) 2 0 0 9/10 MORGAN'S BOYS (308) 170 328 6 34.1 9/10 MORGAN'S BOYS (308) 0 4 0 10/11 RANCID BLOKES (503) 15 54 1 21.7 10/11 RANCID BLOKES (503) 0 3 0 '*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn (###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank TEAM SPOTLIGHT + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Dark Federation #5 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Rodeki: There were just the four of them, or five if you counted Adabemis & Balmador as two separate people, which Sue E. Syde didn't. Not much of an army to arrest a governor. And just because "Princess Tirisha wants it done." What did the woman expect them to DO? It was beginning to look like Adabemis & Balmador wasn't the only crazy person around. She glanced at her companions and wondered if there was any point in commenting on this. Not to the Dwarf with his two personalities, although if one or the other didn't happen to like Tirisha.... No, not to him, or them. And she had a good idea that Captain Shirivien already knew it and didn't care, at least, not enough to run counter to Tirisha's commands. And her teammate Rob A. Ree...she shook her head. Better just to keep quiet for now. The streets of Rodeki were quiet, too. Very few people were out, and they were keeping close to the sides of buildings and fading down alleys at first sight of the group from Xochithlan. Expecting trouble, Sue guessed. The governor's palace in Rodeki was not as impressive as Sue had expected. Large, yes, but so...ordinary. It looked more like an office building than it did a palace. It was built against the side of the mountain that closed in Rodeki on the north, maybe even built back into the mountain, and it went up three stories with a sort of tower climbing higher back along the slope. There were no majestic pillars, no statues in niches (no niches), and only one balcony. And it was grubby. The stone might have been light-colored originally, but years of the smelter smoke that sometimes filled the valley had turned it blotched dark brown and sooty black. Tirisha wasn't going to like this place at all; Sue E. Syde couldn't imagine her living in it. But that wasn't today's problem. Today's problem was taking it away from Governor Milvares. Who wasn't likely to be taken by surprise.... One side of the big double door opened as the gladiators and Sirivien started up the steps. She didn't recognize the man who came out--a Kannar, late middle age, looked like a man used to wielding authority. It might be the governor himself. When they were close enough to hear him without shouting, he said, "Why have you come here?" The gladiators instinctively looked toward Captain Shirivien. "On the order of our lady, Princess Tirisha of Xochithlan," he said. "She has commanded us to arrest Governor Milvares." "On what grounds?" The man's voice was still calm, but there was steel in it. Shirivien hesitated. "The Princess has not offered us explanation. It is not our place to question, only to obey." A voice from overhead said, "We could drop things on them from here, even though we don't have proper stuff like boiling lead." Sue glanced up. There was a short woman in a Dwarven helmet on the balcony. A tall man in arena-issue mail came up behind her. "Not yet, Gate Witch." He added something that the people on the steps couldn't hear, but the Dwarven woman grinned and punched him on the arm. The man in the doorway reclaimed their attention, saying, "Your princess would be better served if the people around her asked for explanations and offered advice. She would be wise to return to Xochithlan." "Are you threatening Princess Tirisha?" Adabemis or Balmador demanded. "No, I'm offering her sound advice. It would be a good move for her to leave Rodeki. She has no place here." "It sounds like a threat to ME." That was definitely Balmador, the more hostile of the two personalities. "If you think in terms of threats," the man said, "all things sound like threats." Balmador opened his mouth to make a retort, but She and Shirivien moved in on him from either side, and Sue put a hand over his mouth. "Your advice may be good," she said, "but we have our orders." The man made a sort of half bow and stepped back, pulling the door closed behind him. From the balcony, Gate Witch said, "NOW can we drop things on them, John?" "I thought you were looking forward to fighting them in the halls," the man replied. "If you drop things on them now, they'll never make it into the halls. Which might not be a bad thing, when one comes to think about it...." "Spoilsport!" Both gladiators on the balcony withdrew, and pulled that door shut behind them also. Rob A. Ree, whose many flaws did not include major stupidity, looked at the closed door of the palace, and at the windows on either side, which were fifteen feet above the ground in front of them and barred, and said, "Anybody got a pocket battering ram?" "I thought we were supposed to be able to just walk in," Adabemis added. "Now what?" + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #4 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Near Fratsfa: Gladiators sailed up the river from Kati-Tei through Andor, Fratsfa, and Zensu to the Isle of the Eye. Some came as tourists, some as newly-graduated warriors, some to attend and participate in the Spring Tourney. This was a steady source of income for boatmen, and many of them made the trip two or three times a month; the river and its shores were well known to them. "I don't remember a castle on that hill," one sailor muttered, squinting at the shore. "And I was along here just last week...." "There was no castle there," Lady Fern, manager of the Flower Girls in Fratsfa confirmed. "And a week is certainly not long enough to build one!" "There was one...eight hundred years ago," a voice murmured behind her. The statuesque manager glanced back at her gladiatress, Nasty Nasturtium. The woman was an Araoi, and elf of the purest blood, and Lady Fern supposed it was possible that Nasturtium actually REMEMBERED a castle there, but she hoped not. The thought of having a warrior that old was unsettling. "You're sure, Nasty?" The elfin blonde nodded firmly. "Yes, my mother told me about it--one of her brothers helped to bring the castle down. The Castle of Storms, that was its name, a place of the darkest arts. It was the stronghold of Prince Illrienherthinil Silverthorn, who was called the Ill Rain." Lady Fern glanced at the sky automatically. It WAS getting cloudy, but that was, must be, coincidence. After all, changeable weather was common at this time of year. "That wasn't on Khaldren's list." The short, stocky man removed his bowler and extended a hand to Lady Fern. "Raoul, Lord Protector In Gerfel We Trust." "Kennelworth has spoken of you," Lady Fern admitted. "But what do you know of this Castle of Storms?" "Not a thing, doll. But I'm wondering if Khaldren's magic isn't raising more ruins than he planned on--anyplace with enough of the wrong kind of magic concentrated in it." "This Khaldren is...?" Nasturtium asked. "A wizard who escaped the sinking of Krael," Raoul explained. "He wants to bring Krael forward in time, or back from the dead, or something. And other places he knows about from that era." "That would take a great magic," Nasturtium protested. "With the Arcanum in the current low state, it should not be possible." "Adie in Aruak City says he could be using blood magic based on the arena deaths, doll. She seems to think that'd do it for him." The elf recoiled. "It would!" she whispered, "and that would call to all sites where dark magic has sunk deep. This must be stopped!" "Well, I'm taking the warning to Lady Sheila--" "She can do nothing, even if she would," Nasturtium snapped. "She dares not touch blood magic, even to fight it, except in the most indirect fashion, and indirection will not serve! Not soon enough, anyway." "Adie will think of some way to fight Khaldren," Raoul said, a little uneasily. He took a deep breath and put his hat back on. "And until he's stopped, we will fight everything he brings up from the past." "If we have to fight the Ill Rain," Nasty Nasturtium predicted, "it won't be easy." Valamantis: Lord Protector Ka D'Argo, on a brief trip to his home on Kolact, had planned to take ship at Valamantis. But the port city was not as he had expected. There was always bustle, but now...it reminded him of a disturbed anthill. And where had those towers on the landward side come from? They weren't something that could have been built in a day, or even a year, and he'd been through here four months ago. "It's Old Valamantis," Arenamistress Sitalva said grimly. "We've had word of some kind of magic afoot aimed at ruined cities, and with all the blood spilled in the recent Bloodgames, it would have been more surprising if something had NOT happened there. But understanding why doesn't help us now. The oldest levels of Old Valamantis," she said grimly, "were Folstrom. NOBODY wants to see the Folstrom loose in the world again." "Bringing the ruins back is one thing," the tall gladiator argued, "but the people...? Surely Ahringol won't release their souls because of a spell and some blood." Sitalva watched the slight wavering of the resurrected towers and shivered, though the day was already warm. "We'll find out, when the city stabilizes. The Silver Mage says sometime in the next week and a half or two weeks. But we can see people moving around in there. And even if they're zombies, it isn't going to be good." Iaye: The fishing boats that had fled Iaye when the earthquakes began crept back one by one as the Trier grew calm again. Most of them followed the coast down toward Point, not because they needed the guidance but to see for themselves if drowned Krael had truly risen from the waves. It had. Lord Protector Goff, assistant manager of the Red Dog Gang, stood on the gently rocking deck of his boat and stared through a spyglass at the rampart of buildings that blocked what had been the strait between Iaye and Point. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but not this. Krael stood above the water, but not as it must once have looked. Many of the taller buildings showed broken tops, and all was slimed with mud and weed. Here and there, decaying wrecks lay in the streets or even on the roofs of houses. The smell of dead fish was obvious even from a mile away. Krael LOOKED like a city that had spent centuries under water. The people who moved among those ruins didn't. There weren't enough of them to represent the entire population of the city at the time of its disaster, he guessed at no more than two hundred. But they looked...normal. Alive. And their activity--they seemed to be trying to clear one section of the city of its mud and debris--were just what you'd expect. And they seemed to take the whole situation for granted. They must KNOW, from the state of Krael now, what had happened, but they just calmly went about cleaning up. That was the most unnerving thing of all. Xochithlan: There were no ruins around Xochithlan to rise up at the wizard's call, because the modern city was the old city, continuously lived in for longer than most Alastarian cities had existed. There was, perhaps, a tendency for certain long- buried residents to stir in their graves, but if any came out to walk the streets, it was not immediately obvious. What was obvious was the forest. There had been a forest around Xochithlan for a long time, but it had been burned away during the Rirorni War. Replanting efforts had been ongoing for the last eight years, but eight years is not long enough to bring back a major forest. And what surrounded the city now, pressing in against the walls and disturbing the newer suburbs, was a major forest. Not, however, a forest such as the Xochithlani remembered. This was a Forest Primeval. This was a forest that might hide...anything. And according to the scholars of ancient texts consulted by King Feyen of Xochithlan, it probably did. Zuwayza: Zuwayza was as old as Xochithlan, and there were as many dark secrets buried under its streets. The foundation of the city, Vekhirn knew, went back to the days before the first humans. There were Folstrom traces, but there was also something older. Maybe more than one something. And they were all stirring. Too much blood had been spilled here, especially in the years since the invasion--during the invasion itself, and in the slow beating back of the Eastern forces. And in other ways, or for other causes, as well. The court wizard had sensed a new feeling in the people of the old city. Harder. Crueler, perhaps. Less patient, less tolerant--and the Glorious Empire had never been noted for tolerance. The woman Jayde, who claimed to be the daughter of Kjarran, her death and her mysterious apotheosis, had that been the start of this dark bitterness that gripped the people? He shrugged that off. Whatever the cause for the change of heart, blood had been spilled. And somewhere, someone had called on spilled blood to raise old evils, and spilled blood everywhere had answered. Aruak City: Adeolar stared into the gilt-framed mirror, frowning and twisting a lock of hair between nervous fingers. Nothing she was Seeing was good. Not that the mirror was the best way to See, but it was the only scrying device she had that was still working. There was a bloody film over the glass that could not be washed off, and that, she suspected, was a sign of just how bad things were. Blood magic, used to excess, tainted everything. There was no doubt that the wizard in Zorpunt was strong and ruthless, but what he had started seemed to be taking on a life of its own. And no one, so far, seemed able to stop him. She would have to take steps herself. * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===DELARQUAN REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 1 MORDANT (turn 492): WISPER of SWEORDMASTERS (Mannequin, mgr.) DM 2 NIANIA (turn 377): TOOFLESS of GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.) DM 3 OSKSI (turn 497): WHIP SCORPION of SIMPLY DESSERTS (Sweet Tooth, mgr.) DM 4 JHELUM (turn 493): CHASM OF IGNORANCE of UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (Neon Necromancer) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 492): SUX0R of MORE NEW TEAMS 2 (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 496): MEDUSA of BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.) DM 7 BONSUR (turn 493): DIGGER WASP of FLAGG'S CHAMPIONS (Flagg, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 488): BLING BLING of TERRAPIN STATION (Floyd, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 479): SCOURGE of THUNDR + LITENING (Doc Steele, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 478): KITTY CHOWDER of CARNAGE CANARIES (C. Canary, mgr.) DM 36 JHANS (turn 452): HALO 14 of BLIND HYPOCRISY (Jekyll, mgr.) DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 443): HARI CANE of JINDA-BAN (Zin, mgr.) DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 193): TAMMY FAYE of WITLESS WONDERS (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 42 RODEKI (turn 430): GATE WITCH of FLAGG'S FIVE (Flagg, mgr.) DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 378): APPLE of FRUITS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.) DM 54 TROCAR (turn 179): MERGEN of THE BLACK COMPANY (Woelfe, mgr.) DM 59 ILLIS (turn 167): MACAULIFFE of THE EXPLORERS (Kellog, mgr.) DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 328): AKLAR of MITHRAL HALO (Barnabas, mgr.) DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 144): CONSTANTINE of AGELESS WONDER (Belyn, mgr.) ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 371): DOONE of FLAGG 16 from RODEKI (Flagg, mgr.) Top Teams --------- DM 1 MORDANT (turn 492): HOMICIDAL MANIACS (Nick, mgr.) DM 2 NIANIA (turn 377): RESURRECTION (Shocking Toad, mgr.) DM 3 OSKSI (turn 497): THE NUKES (Fusion, mgr.) DM 4 JHELUM (turn 493): THE DREIHDENS 2 (Dreihdenflahg, mgr.) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 492): THE MIDDLE WAY 5 (Nick, mgr.) DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 496): BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.) DM 7 BONSUR (turn 493): FLOWER CHILDREN (Ebenezer Frothingslosh, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 488): MEGAWARRIORS (Matrix, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 479): CENTER FOR OLDS (Suave, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 478): CARNAGE CANARIES (C. Canary, mgr.) DM 36 JHANS (turn 452): KAMIKAZI (?, mgr.) DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 443): JINDA-BAN (Zin, mgr.) DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 193): CHEAP SHOTS (?, mgr.) DM 42 RODEKI (turn 430): DELVERS (Nick, mgr.) DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 378): DARK HORSEMEN (Nick, mgr.) DM 54 TROCAR (turn 179): none DM 59 ILLIS (turn 167): COLOUR GUARDS (Captain Crayola, mgr.) DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 328): MITHRAL HALO (Barnabas, mgr.) DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 144): none ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 371): LEGENDS OF STEELE (Doc Steele, mgr.) Recent Graduates ----------------- DM 3 OSKSI (turn 497): WHIP SCORPION of SIMPLY DESSERTS (Sweet Tooth, mgr.) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 492): SUX0R of MORE NEW TEAMS 2 (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 488): BLING BLING of TERRAPIN STATION (Floyd, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 479): SCOURGE of THUNDR + LITENING (Doc Steele, mgr.) PAUL of SHEPHERDS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.) (turn 478): WONDER BRA of THE GUARDIANS II (Guardian, mgr.) BOOTER of BURN N' PILLAGE (Jolly, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 477): SONJA BLOODBANE of THE BLOODBANES (Stik, mgr.) SPY REPORT It's me, The Unknown Spymaster here with my bag to give you the news on last week's fights. Coming up with a solid 3-1-0 outing, SUGAR AND SPICE has advanced 4 places in the rankings. Hey everybody, watch out for MY BIG TOE, who flew up 22 points in the rankings after mashing THYME like a melon. Keep your eye on this beast. And falling like a basher in the top ten was THYME, who dropped 19 points after a disappointing (to say the least) bout with MY BIG TOE. Well, if ya don't shows up at the laundromat, ya can'ts wash yer clothes. DIGGER WASP did not fight this week so hers title was forfeit. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but an onion a day keeps T.P.s at bay. Here is other news that is of note. Did you hear that WASTELAND II was most avoided team this week? Well, knowing the personal hygiene of WASTELAND II's warriors, I'm not surprised! For those of you who like math, try this one: WASTELAND II + Weapons That go Boom = FLOWER CHILDREN + Avoid City. Well just about everybody wants a piece of SANDBAR SALLY, who was this week's most challenged warrior. Getting lots of flowers from sympathetic fans was TALLAHASSE TINA, who was successfully challenged by HOOSIER DADDY who had a mere 24 points more than TALLAHASSE TINA. Definition of petty: HOOSIER DADDY subdued TALLAHASSE TINA, a mismatch of 24 points. Challenging down 18 points was GINGER. Pretty soon she'll be using two shields and selling 'T.P.: The only way to clean up' pins. Definition of petty: GINGER bested SILENT WARNING, a mismatch of 18 points. Can any one out there say 'weasel'? Oh well, just saying DEAD POET will do. He challenged 16 points down to trash SANDBAR SALLY. Definition of petty: DEAD POET overcame SANDBAR SALLY, a mismatch of 16 points. In a touching display by a 'touched' warrior, TASTY HANGNAIL went after TERRI TOWEL, who was higher by 23 points. Well, when the dust settled, TASTY HANGNAIL defeated TERRI TOWEL. Death is kind of like a new puppy: he's always around wanting to play. (Ha Zontani, how's that for a wise saying?). WARSPITE says to its dog--'Who should I fight this week?'. Dog says 'MOUNTAIN TROLL'. So the beast dies. Moral? Put lying dogs to sleep. Here's some advice: warriors with little wit and will may encounter problems on the trail to the Isle. Well, that wasn't too bad; Alarond told me that the people in BONSUR have no sense of humor. Or maybe that they were senseless. Okay, so I may not be the world's best comedian, but then you guys aren't the world's best warriors. Its been real, and its been fun, but it hasn't been real fun...-- The Unknown Spymaster CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -DIGGER WASP 4899 11 3 0 144 FLAGG'S CHAMPIONS (472) ANGRY CANDY 5047 25 13 1 113 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) GOOBATRON 5026 20 18 1 113 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) HOOSIER DADDY 5380 14 10 0 109 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) SUGARBEET 5219 20 19 0 100 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) JERICO 4862 17 42 0 93 MORGAN'S BOYS (308) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME PTI 5412 18 8 0 89 WASTELAND II (267) TASTY HANGNAIL 5463 12 9 0 83 WASTELAND II (267) TALLAHASSE TINA 4889 13 42 0 81 BEACH BABES (309) -MAGOBE IBUKA 5391 14 11 1 77 NINJAS (35) CAESAR 5470 9 5 3 77 THE BEARS II (510) -MICRO MIRACLE 5236 11 8 0 71 WASTELAND II (267) TERRI TOWEL 5306 17 18 1 70 BEACH BABES (309) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME GROOVE THANG 5474 8 5 0 65 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) GINGER 5518 12 4 0 60 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) DEEDS 5177 7 26 1 58 RANCID BLOKES (503) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -KEARSARGE 5444 3 0 1 56 BATHTUB ARMADA (515) DEAD POET 5562 5 1 0 52 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) MY BIG TOE 5601 3 3 0 51 WASTELAND II (267) THYME 5563 6 3 1 37 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) SILENT WARNING 5446 4 5 0 37 THE BEARS II (510) SANDBAR SALLY 5469 7 14 0 35 BEACH BABES (309) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -HUGGER 5573 2 2 0 22 THE BEARS II (510) -HOT STUFF 5568 2 4 0 18 THE BEARS II (510) -DILL WEED 5241 2 1 0 17 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) UMBRELLA MAN 5600 3 4 0 13 BEACH BABES (309) -GO ASAI 5627 1 0 0 13 NINJAS (35) -ANZAI MURO 5594 3 2 0 11 NINJAS (35) -DIRT 5178 1 0 0 11 RANCID BLOKES (503) SPEARMINT 5618 1 3 0 8 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) -SUSHI ITO 5610 2 1 0 7 NINJAS (35) FUZZY 5546 0 1 0 5 THE BEARS II (510) -HOGAI HAYASHI 5624 1 1 0 4 NINJAS (35) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? WARSPITE 5558 6 3 0 BATHTUB ARMADA 515 MOUNTAIN TROLL 676 494 NONE 1110111391317 5632 0 1 0 BATHTUB ARMADA 515 MOUNTAIN TROLL 676 494 NONE RURI IBI 5595 2 1 0 NINJAS 35 KEARSARGE 5444 491 CHEAP 5181 6 23 0 RANCID BLOKES 503 CAESAR 5470 490 NOT REVE PERSONAL ADS Hoosier Daddy -- And say hello to Mrs. Hoosier, and all the little ones. -- Tallahasse Tina Warspite -- By the Great Wave, you ARE spiteful! Nothing else could have driven you to make that horrid blow on my shoulder where the scar will SHOW when I'm in my swimming suit! -- Sandbar Sally the deeply indignant A Venomous Concubine? But I don't know anything ABOUT concubines or, you know, venom either. -- Terri Towel P.S. She bit my towel, and I'm afraid it will stain. Sushi Ito -- You just don't have what it takes to keep down with me, boy. But perhaps the skills will compensate. -- Umbrella Man, off to have a drink with an umbrella in it while sitting under a beach umbrella 3 March 2004 MONGO'S MARDI GRAS MADNESS DUELMASTERS AUCTION Mongo, aka Matt McIntosh and ex-Warden of the Dark Circle, is auctioning off his entire collection of Duelmasters warriors and stables. Don't miss out on this chance to own some fantastic warriors! There are ADM warriors available in every class from Primus to Freshmen, as well as over a dozen Basic stables. Does a Slasher with +4 attack, +4 decisiveness, +3 initiative and +2 riposte sound good? How about a Lunger who received the benefit of a TC prize, has TVed three times after graduating--and still hasn't maxed out his skills!? How about a Striker in the Freshmen class who has decisiveness for a favorite learn and the MAUL for a favorite weapon!? Or perhaps you prefer playing in Basic. Then how does a stable with four Adept class warriors who have a combined record of 41-19-9 sound? Or maybe a stable with three 21-Will warriors? Or perhaps a stable with four Initiates and a Rookie who have a combined record of 23-6-1? The quality of the lots is excellent. All you need to view and bid on the lots is go to: http://members.aol.com/jvmerlino/mardigras.html If you want to be on the mailing list to receive regular updates on the auction, just send an e-mail to JVMerlino@aol.com. Merlin, aka John Merlino and also an ex- Warden of the Dark Circle, will be running this auction for me. I just moved to New Orleans and am likely currently stumbling around the French Quarter...because it's Mardi Gras! So I have named my auction in honor of this occasion. The auction will start on Saturday, March 13th, 2004, and will continue for several weeks. But you should get your bids in early if you want your best chance at owning any of these fantastic warriors and stables. Many thanks to all for your interest and your bids, Mongo 5 March 2004 Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer The years have slipped by and many DM Managers have come and gone since the last Hammer's Handbook was compiled and printed. There is now a stirring within me to begin writing and editing yet another Handbook with a distribution date sometime in 2005. This Handbook will be made available via Email with a possibility of burning the info to a CD for distribution. Special arrangements will be made to provide the information via printed page to those contributors who are serving sentences behind bars. The working title of this new Handbook is "Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer". Distribution of this Handbook is projected to be MAINLY for those DM Managers who contribute information/articles to Hammer by June 2004. Informative and entertaining articles should focus on insights regarding Any or All 10 Style Masters for both the Basic and ADM arenas as well as Tourney competition. Articles focusing on Weapons/Armor are also encouraged for inclusion. Whether you are a Newbie Manager without a clue or a Jaded Veteran; everyone has discovered something about this gaming experience that is both Insightful and Entertaining. Email Your Articles to HammerDM@fastermail.com or send them via Diplo to either Flower Hammerz (372) in DM 28 or Casino Hammerz (576) in DM 33. Length and Content of the Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer will be Determined by the Quality and Quantity of Contributors Combined with the Literary Efforts of Hammer who is currently overseas for an indefinite period of time. Articles Contributed for this Project should be of Sufficient Length and Content to Warrant being Included to Receive the Finished Document when Hammer has completed this literary work to His satisfaction. Managers contributing articles are also requested to include a DM Bio of Themselves along with any Notable Successes and/or Failures during Their DM Career in Basic, ADM and/or Tourney Play. A listing of Active Stables would also be Helpful for Anyone Seeking to Reply to Contributors via Diplo, Email or Snailmail. May Your Blades Be Sharp And Your Wits Sharper! -- Hammer of Flower Hammerz (372) DM 28 and Casino Hammerz (576) DM 33 18 March 2004 St. Valentine's Day Massacre Update We are pleased to announce that the kLk sponsored St. Valentine's Day Massacre kill contest in DM 36 is off to a great start. We are also pleased to announce that in addition to the 10 team rollups we are also able to offer the renaming of a dark arena warrior as a prize to the manager with the most kills. The contest is only 2 turns old and is still wide open. There are currently 5 managers tied with one kill each. Anything can still happen so hurry up and get into the arena. On a personal note, no other alliances have entered the arena in force to challenge the kLk dominance. We were expecting The Firm to put up a fight for their supposed home arena. But, they were a no show. Guess they proved what they are really made of. *evil grin* Perhaps another alliance would like to step in to give us a challenge. We are throwing down the gauntlet. Perhaps the Chaos Inc. boys I keep hearing about would like to step in and challenge the kLk for arena dominance. If you don't show up, Chaos, don't feel bad. FAR better managers than you have been invited into Jhans but have chosen to pass on the offer. So if you consider yourself worthy to compete, like fierce competition, and enjoy arenas where the personals are as fierce as the fighting, come visit JHANS DM 36. We're already planning our next contest, "Capture the Flag," and have a storyline being actively worked on in the arena. Whatever you like about DM you can find it in JHANS. Bookie mgr. of Suicidal Dreams and Director Jhans Board of Tourism kLk Alliance 27 March 2004 This notice is to inform the DM world that CHAOS INC. has added CHEETO to its ranks. He joins APEX, FLAGG, MATRIX, ASSAMITE, and RUDE BUDDHA as the 6th member. May your chaotic wings spread disaster and CHAOS for all your days! Welcome CHEETO!! 27 March 2004 Has anyone seen it in print that the "Goat" is leaving the "Cartel"? There were some diplos to the effect of a special branch of the Cartel being formed, like secret societies, governmental agencies and alliances certain agendas are developed. To obtain the desired effect of any agenda only key personnel can be used. The "Goat" is "Cartel" so until you see it with me announcing that I am not Cartel, remember, "The Agenda of the Core is for you to fight for." I hope this stops the confusion. -- Goat LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS WARSPITE was dealt death by MOUNTAIN TROLL in a 2 minute bloody Dark Arena fight. 1110111391317 was slaughtered by MOUNTAIN TROLL in a 1 minute Dark Arena battle. HOOSIER DADDY demolished TALLAHASSE TINA in a 1 minute uneven Challenge fight. SUGARBEET devastated JERICO in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge contest. TASTY HANGNAIL overpowered TERRI TOWEL in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge match. GROOVE THANG bested DEEDS in a 3 minute Challenge duel. GINGER overpowered SILENT WARNING in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge struggle. DEAD POET viciously subdued SANDBAR SALLY in a 2 minute gory Challenge competition. PTI was handily defeated by ANGRY CANDY in a action packed 1 minute uneven melee. GOOBATRON defeated CAESAR in a 2 minute uneven duel. THYME was savagely defeated by MY BIG TOE in a exciting 1 minute gruesome fight. UMBRELLA MAN was savagely defeated by MORDANT DESERTER in a 3 minute brutal fight. SPEARMINT narrowly defeated FUZZY in a 2 minute bloody amateur's competition. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |LUNGING ATTACK 8 WALL OF STEEL 16 - 9 - 1 64 | |PARRY-LUNGE 3 TOTAL PARRY 13 - 8 - 1 62 | |SLASHING ATTACK 3 PARRY-LUNGE 15 - 10 - 0 60 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 3 PARRY-STRIKE 5 - 4 - 1 56 | |AIMED BLOW 1 SLASHING ATTACK 22 - 18 - 0 55 | |PARRY-STRIKE 1 AIMED BLOW 9 - 9 - 0 50 | |BASHING ATTACK 1 LUNGING ATTACK 49 - 56 - 3 47 | |STRIKING ATTACK 1 STRIKING ATTACK 12 - 15 - 2 44 | |TOTAL PARRY 1 BASHING ATTACK 10 - 15 - 0 40 | |WALL OF STEEL 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 5 - 17 - 0 23 | Turn 494 was great if you Not so great if you used The fighting styles of the used the fighting styles: the fighting styles: top eleven warriors are: AIMED BLOW 1 - 0 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 5 LUNGING ATTACK PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 3 1 STRIKING ATTACK BASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 STRIKING ATTACK 0 - 1 1 PARRY-LUNGE PARRY-LUNGE 2 - 1 TOTAL PARRY 0 - 1 1 PARRY-STRIKE LUNGING ATTACK 4 - 4 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 1 1 BASHING ATTACK 1 AIMED BLOW 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME LUNGING ATTACK ANGRY CANDY 5047 25 13 1 113 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) PARRY-LUNGE GOOBATRON 5026 20 18 1 113 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) PARRY-STRIKE HOOSIER DADDY 5380 14 10 0 109 FLOWER CHILDREN (26) BASHING ATTACK SUGARBEET 5219 20 19 0 100 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) AIMED BLOW TASTY HANGNAIL 5463 12 9 0 83 WASTELAND II (267) SLASHING ATTACK GINGER 5518 12 4 0 60 SUGAR AND SPICE (501) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is TALLAHASSE TINA 4889. The most popular warrior this turn was DEEDS 5177. The ten other most popular fighters were DEAD POET 5562, ANGRY CANDY 5047, GOOBATRON 5026, MY BIG TOE 5601, WARSPITE 5558, GROOVE THANG 5474, GINGER 5518, SPEARMINT 5618, FUZZY 5546, and SUGARBEET 5219. The least popular fighter this week was UMBRELLA MAN 5600. The other ten least popular fighters were PTI 5412, SANDBAR SALLY 5469, SILENT WARNING 5446, TERRI TOWEL 5306, JERICO 4862, TALLAHASSE TINA 4889, THYME 5563, HOOSIER DADDY 5380, 1110111391317 5632, and CAESAR 5470. NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS) For those of you who keep track of such things, 14 additional warriors graduated from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament: ABE SIMPSON (9-4453) SPRINGFIELD PB-LEAD (23-4385) ROCK-ETTS IV RATTLESNAKE SHAKE (60-4242) METAL MELTDOWN CHIP (60-4413) RESCUE RANGERS SLAKE (82-12993) WORD OF THE DAY DIS-COMBOBULATE (63-2222) DIS-TEAM RETARD (68-7501) POLITICALLYINCORRECT DARKSIDE (22-2714) LOST SOULS 1 ZHARRA TYL MEDAN (40-2586) SUPERIOR FORCES SMOOGIE (82-2247) STREET PIZZAD III ARATHEA (13-3318) THE ELITE PX (82-14364) SUPERIOR FORCES 1203 MIKE, POWERFUL (82-7051) MIKE THE HUNTER DIS-FUNCTIONAL (63-2223) DIS-TEAM -- Green Eyes